Half is better than nothing
by Sola Haze
Summary: Dipper Pines couldn't forgive himself for letting that alien drone take Ford. He couldn't forgive himself for breaking Mabel's heart. And he couldn't forgive himself for what happened next. (Full summary in story)
1. Prologue

Summary

Dipper Pines couldn't forgive himself for letting that alien drone take Ford. He couldn't forgive himself for breaking Mabel's heart. And he couldn't forgive himself for what happened next.  
Heartbroken, Mabel ran right into Bill's trap. Soon after, Dipper discovered his twin lying dead in the forest. That was the final straw.  
Even after swearing he'd never mystery hunt again, Dipper's dreams call him to his senses. He has to save Mabel.  
Even if it means making a deal with the devil.

* * *

Half is better than nothing. Dipper told himself that over and over again. Mabel may have been gone, but he still had himself. That didn't keep the nightmares away, though. Recounts of the previous few days.

He'd been on a mystery hunt with Great Uncle Ford until an alien security droid had caught him. Dipper tried to follow, but he couldn't get his stupid magnet gun to work. There went everything. He had the rift and the adhesive, but Ford was gone! Dipper was never one to give up, but Ford had told him to patch the rift.

He had to, so he headed back to the shack to break the news to Mabel. But first, he headed down to the lab, and, using caution, smeared the adhesive all over the cracks.

In the attic room he found Mabel curled up on her bed.

"Mabel?" He asked, putting down his bag.

"Tell me it isn't true, Dipper." Mabel suddenly sat up, showing him the walkie-talkie in her hand. "Tell me you were joking!"

Dipper pursed his lips. He had no idea his walkie-talkie had been on. "Ford's apprentice?" Mabel asked. "Really? You were gonna leave me?"

Dipper looked down, feeling his eyes grow wet. "Not anymore."

Frowning, Mabel hopped down from the bed. "What do you mean?"

Dipper sniffed, finally looking Mabel in the eye. "Great Uncle Ford is gone!" He sobbed, grabbing Mabel in a hug.

Mabel awkwardly patted her twin's back. "What happened?"

"An alien security droid dragged him off..." Dipper whispered.

Now Mabel sniffed. No. It couldn't be true! She pushed Dipper off of her. "You let it take him?!"

"I had no choice!" Dipper said, wiping his eyes. "Great Uncle Ford told me to patch the rift."

Mabel narrowed her eyes at him in disgust. "I always knew your sciencey stuff would do something like this. No _rift_ is more important than Grunkle Ford." She scoffed. "And look at you; you won't even call him Grunkle!"

Dipper shook his head. He forgot he'd never told her about the rift. She didn't know what could happen. "But Mabel-"

"But nothing!" She exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at him. "If you won't go after him, then I will!" She whipped around, racing out the door.

"Mabel! Wait!" Dipper ran after her, but he tripped, falling on his face. Scrambling to his feet, he raced after Mabel, calling her name into the night.

Dipper ran through the spooky part of the forest, following Mabel's footprints. He pushed past a fir tree branch, but what he saw stopped him cold.

Mabel stood in the middle of a clearing, in her hand she clutched a pen knife and had it held at her neck. She smiled widely at him, a familiar glint in her eyes. "M-Mabel?" He asked uncertainly.

Her braces glinted like the knife. "Hello, brother." That voice... no! It couldn't be-

"Bill?"

She chuckled. "Still sharp as ever, Pinetree."

Dipper's eyes flickered from her crazed eyes to the knife blade. Dang, Mabel must've grabbed his bag! He always kept a pen knife in there. "W-what do you want with me?"

Mabel's smile only widened. "Nothing."

Dipper blinked. "B-but what about the knife! You can't kill Mabel, man!"

Mabel only chuckled.

Dipper was ready to get down on his knees. "I-I'll do anything!"

"That's your problem, brobro." Bill's use of her nickname for him made his stomach turn. "You're too stubborn." Mabel's smirk faded into a serious expression. "Should'a stayed out of it Pinetree." And with that, the knife slipped.

Mabel collapsed to the ground, and Dipper dropped to his knees next to her. "No, no, no!" He brushed her hair aside to reveal the bloody slash across her neck. "No, Mabel!" He burried his face in her oversized sweater. "I'm so sorry!" He cried. "I'm so sorry!"

And for what felt like an infinity, Dipper just sat there with nothing but the blow of the wind and Bill's insane laughter ringing in his head.


	2. Chapter 1

Dipper breathed in and out, in and out, in and out, in and...

The brunette rocked back and forth against the attic room's wall. It had only been days ago that he'd brought Mabel back and had to explain to Grunkle Stan how Ford was missing and Mabel was dead. Stan had been heartbroken, for Mabel, and even Ford. It turned out, all he ever wanted was for his brother to forgive him. Now it was too late. Too late...

Dipper hadn't gotten much sleep that night. Or the night after. In fact, he hadn't slept for three days. He only sat against the wall, rocking back and forth with Journal 3 hugged to his chest. But instead of being urged to open the leather-bound book, he only felt disgust.

Bill was right. He should've kept out of it. He should've kept _Mabel_ out of it. And now it was too late.

Too late...

Dipper could feel hunger eating away at his insides, his throat was dry, lips cracked. His human needs called him to get something to eat, and for the first time in three days, he listened.

The first thing he found in the fridge was a sandwich, and he immediately dove in, relishing the peanut butter and jam. He frowned. Mabel's favorite. Before closing the fridge, he noticed a blender full of pink Mabel Juice. He frowned. Mabel Juice.

 _Oh man, how am I gonna tell mom and dad?_ He asked himself.

He took the blender, silently cursing at himself for never accepting a glass when she offered it to him. He poured himself a big glass. He really needed it.

As he sat down, Stan entered the kitchen, looking even more sullen than usual. "Hey, kid." He said as he opened the fridge.

Dipper gave a small wave. He stared at the plastic dinos in the pink juice before him. With a sigh, he swallowed it, then began to cough. So... much... sugar...

"See you've finally tried Mabel Juice." Stan muttered, sitting down across from Dipper as he opened the news paper.

Dipper glanced up, only to see a big picture on the front cover of himself and Stan in black formal clothes. Oh. He'd forgotten. The news had been at Mabel's funeral. They said it was "A devastating loss to a town hero." Yeah, right. Shandra Jimenez just wanted a good story.

Stan noticed his staring and flipped over the paper. He sighed. "Oh, right." He frowned, then looked up at Dipper, managing a weak smile. "Hey, look. Wherever Mabel is now, she's in a better place."

Dipper only continued to stare down at the table.

Stan let out another small sigh, reaching out to touch Dipper's arm. "Look, kid, times may be tough, but it'll get-"

The moment Stan made contact, Dipper jumped out of his chair, racing in an almost panicked state to the stairs and out of sight.  
Stan sighed, watching his nephew scramble out of view. "Better."

Dipper rocked back and forth, clutching the Journal as tight as he could, like a lifeline. Like it could somehow make things better. No. It only ever made things worse.

Why did it have to be Mabel? Why didn't Bill just use her body to kill him? He deserved to die, not Mabel. Not Mabel, not Mabel, anyone but Mabel! Why?!

Dipper stared off into blank space. He couldn't comprehend anything. It was all just gone. He had somehow disconnected from the universe. With shaking hands, he opened the Journal, grabbing his blacklight. He landed on the same page he'd read so long ago. The one that had changed his life. He shone the blacklight over the page, to reveal the words "Can't sleep!" written over and over again, and the words Trust No One circled. This was the page that had changed his perspective of the Author ever since. When he'd first shone the blacklight over it, he'd thought the author sounded messed up. Now he knew why.

With a sniff, he closed the book. He bit his lip, trying to keep it together. That was when he saw the strangest thing. The walls were glowing. He squinted, looking closer. The words "Can't sleep!" were written everywhere. Every wall had been peppered with the words, scribbled hastily as if by a madman.

Ford was right. He shouldn't have trusted anyone. Dipper sat, turned the blacklight off before curling up into a ball. And this time, he did sleep


End file.
